Flowers..inside out

Hello Friends…

Welcome to my page today..I am here sharing with you an altered project with a twist as usual! Hope you enjoy another long post, goes without saying.

This is DT project for Rhedd’s Creative Spirit where the theme is Anything Goes but only mixed media or altered art, NO CARDS. So go ahead, wear your thinking cap and let the creative juices flow…

Here’s what I made…I altered a smoked almond tin. I have it bright and beautiful this time!

I gave the tin a shabby distressed look. For this, first I sponged gesso all over and then when it was dry, I sponged turquoise acrylic color. I used a sponge bcos I like the natural texture that it gives. Next I rubbed a wax candle in all the areas that I wanted the distress, followed by another coat of Picket fence DP. Once dry, a light rub with a sand paper and voila the top layers just peels off wherever I have applied the wax!

Just look at the lovely distressed tin now!

I an in love with making signature tissues now, lol! I stamped the big sunflower on tissue with Archival black and colored it with DI mustard seed, peacock feathers, worn lipstick and picked raspberry. I adhered the flower with gel medium and then gave a generous coat of it all over the tin.

Some pearly dots for the center with silver pearl pen and some stamped sentiments again on a tissue…I told you, I love it so! 

I colored the metal butterfly with alcohol inks and glued in some tiny glass beads for its body.

The lower part of the tin, I wrapped a printed ribbon which had a floral print and butterfly on it, perfect match for the top! I inked the edges of the tin with picked raspberry and yes my tin is now ready…ready for what????

Have a look at the title of my post…flowers inside out! We talked about the outside…well for the inside, I have lined the tin with lovely floral PP from DCWV in complimenting colors…is that it???

Of course not, when the lid is opened, this is what comes out!

A signature hand made neck piece..ta da! Very very simple and very few things needed…shall we start.

I made the sunflower using air dry clay that you get in the hard ware store used to close up leaky pipes! Yes, you heard me right…I chose that cos it is black and solves the base coloring part for me, lol! And yes, maybe when I get wet in the rain, nothing will happen to it… Think about that!

Now, coming back to the flower…I rolled the clay into a big circle and stamped the same sunflower stamp that I used for the lid. I applied some baby cream on the stamp for easy release and pressed a bit hard. It left a lovely deep impression on the clay, and I randomly cut around the petals with a craft knife.

As the clay drying, I decided to color it using…..perfect pearls??? NO…I had a box of eye shadow for god know how long, maybe its even 15yrs old, lol! I thought it will look beautiful on this flower than on my eyes and so the makeover for the clay flower begins!

I applied the eye shadow in pink and grey and highlighted a bit with silver mica powder. For the center I squeezed out a blob of glossy accents and added some tiny glass beads. The clay was still soft and I pierced 2 holes on the top on bottom.

Once dry, I gave 2 coats of gel medium to seal the powders and to give it a light sheen too. I didn't want an ugly back and so I adhered a stamped flower with the back and sealed that too, lol!

Now to attach the jewelry findings, I chose lovely big baubles in turquoise and some pretty pink and turquoise micro meads along with some silver findings and used my amateur skills to make this piece. 

The organza chord is the finale and voila a handmade neck piece to my taste is ready!

This is how it looks around my neck, so happy with this one! I am happy, my eye shadows no longer have to wait for eternity to be used up now! 

One last look at the trio! Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks a bunch for sitting through the whole thing.

This should inspire you to play along…there is so much that can be done with things lying around the house! Really…

I would like to have my hand made neck piece along with its care taker tin to enter the following challenges…

Open MindedCrafting Fun Challenge – Shabby Chic

PolkadoodlesChallenge Blog- AG but square

That CraftPlace – No cards ( I love that, lol!)

A Vintage Journey- Spring Colors

Simon Wednesday Challenge – AG

Crafty Boots – Things with wings

FantasyStampers Challenge Blog – Distress it

613 AvenueCreate – AG
Decorate To celebrate - AG
Red Rubber Inspirational Ch Blog - anything with 'S' (sunflower, stamping, string,silver)
Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - may Flowers
Craft Stamper Magazine- Use a stamp

Until my next creative journey,

Happy Crafting and Re cycling,

Hugs.            

Pretty in pink

Hello Friends…

Welcome to my page today. Today’s project is one that went with the flow for me…truly started as an experiment and then one thing led to another and this is what I made!

A plain paper mache box went under the knife today, lol! I wanted to do some experiments with decoupage but was unable to get a napkin to my liking and so I decided to make one!

 I stamped these lovely flowers with Archival black ink and then colored them with DI worn lipstick and mustard seed on the reverse.

I gessoed the box and then gave it a cost of burnt umber acrylic paint and once dry gave a coat of Picket fence Distress crackle paint. The fine cracks gave a lovely weathered look to the box.

I adhered the floral tissue to the lid and its just amazing to see the fine cracks through the stamped image! I just love it. 

A bit of random stamping with Archival leaf green ink and Bo bonny script and sponging the edges with picket fence DS completes the top of the box. 

The ornate metal opener is also painted with Distress crackle Picket fence.

The sentiment on the lid to is stamped on tissue and from Paper Artsy...just perfect for this project.

The box opens to some more acrylic painting on the inner lid in complimenting colors and then I stuck the vintage lady and the sentiment, both from my stash. 

I have stamped some leaves and added a loopy bow and some die cut flourishes. The flower is made with Joy Crafts die and colored with Worn Lipstick and Aged Mahogany DI.

And inside the box????

There is a palm size junk journal made with coffee stained papers. 

The cover is made with an empty Tissue roll cut open and I have stuck canvas cloth. The vintage girl picture  from my stash. The papers are from my daughter’s old note books all held together with satin twine. The spine has some metal charms and beads too.

The journal has some interesting pockets and tags and fits into any purse or handbag and comes in handy anytime! The closure is a elastic band held with a button and brad.

The sides and the inside of the box is lined with papers from DCWV French Country paper stack.

That brings us to the end of my experiment and  through this process I realized that PINK after all is not a bad color, lol! Some how I had a fixation about this color for this project and am happy about the success of my experiment. Do let me know your views.

I would like to enter it in the following challenges..

Crafts 4Eternity- Spring

PolkadoodlesChallenge Blog- Pink and Pretty

Fussy n fancy Friday challenge Blog – Spring time flowers

Crafty Catz– It’s a girl thing.

Wags nWhiskers – flowers

SimonWednesday Challenge – make your own background

Mixed MediaWorld – bright colors

Art by MiranChallenge Blog- AG

Glitter andSparkle Challenge Blog – Anything But A Card
The Artistic Stamper - Flora and Fauna

Until my next Creative Journey,

Happy Crafting and Re cycling,

Cheers.

Happy New Year with Ivy and Coffee !

Hello crafters..

Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year..a year filled with lots of color, creativity, good health and happiness.

With that said, I have a good news to share with you. I am joining the creative team of Rhedd’s Creative Spirit! It was a pleasant surprise when Sandie asked me to join and of course I gave in…I love altered art and what a way to start the new year.

So people, it’s anything goes here and ALTERED art only! Thank god for that…so play along and let’s see what you have to share with us. Do hop over to see what the rest of the team have in store for you.

Do  you want to see my first creation for the year???? Here it is….

An altered biscuit tin…I told you that my Bro got me lots of stuff…this is also from that, Lol! I couldn’t wait to finish the biscuits and was in a hurry to give the tin  a makeover!

Got lots of supplies from Paper Artsy this time…I heave used their Limited Edition Fresco paints in 2 colors to layer up the tin. I gave time between coats and shaded with the colors and once dry, used Elizebeth Borer stamps to dress it up! The colors used are Chartreuse and Seaweed…loved the end result!

Some amazing stamps I must say…just look at this Ivy Queen! MY god, I just loved coloring her with DI and then took the negative of this ornate oval die cut and gave it the faux wood treatment. Colored it with acrylic colors and framed the lady in there! She looked amazingly beautiful and comfortable in that wood frame..what say???

On the sides I used the PA Jofy stencil and crackle embossing paste . I left it to dry naturally and dint want to color up the cracks at all..I think it looks plain and nice against the brown- green.

I stamped some  ivy creepers and the sentiment on tissue paper and used gel medium to stick it on the tin.

On the back side, I stuck a yearly calendar just so that this can be used as a pen stand on the table! Pretty functional eh???

Now comes the embellishments…The lid of the tin has a lovely vintage rose using TH tattered florals die, seated on a bed of coconut coir for dimension! The leaves are all from CLD tropical leaves, though I would have loved to have some ivy hanging there!

I have fixed a metal handle on the lid and colored the butterfly with alcohol inks too. Two winged beauties on the front panel…what can I ask for???

Well is that it…what do you think happens when the lid is opened????

Out comes…this!

An album…NO…a junk journal made from paper scraps, PP all dyed with coffee! 

Yes COFFEE stained papers,  folded with some pockets, doilies, interesting knick knacks here and there…all hand sewn together with lots of LOVE. Am not getting into the details of the making here…maybe a dedicated post later on this.

Just stopping by a few favorite spots in my journal….

It is held together with Ideology clasps and some metal charms.

It’s unbelievably addictive to hold this journal to your nose and keep smelling…I HATE to drink coffee but I LOVE to smell this…very very relaxing! 

I wonder if I will ever have the heart to write here.

Well that’s it crafty peeps…my tryst with a tin and coffee stained papers!

Do let me know your views on this and will be back soon with a dedicated post on the making of the coffee journal. I owe it to the Cuppa!

Hope this inspires you play along!

Until my next creative journey…

Happy Crafting and Recycling.

Cheers.

For all you lovely people residing in the UK, I have something interesting for you this start of the new year...

On a different note - I would like to mention here that my brother who is based in London has launched a new mobile application called Playfolly. It has been designed and conceptualised by creative artists in the UK. Please have a look at the promo video here www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuPT3PVwy4I

If you like it, please download it for free on iOS and Android.

So, go ahead and spread the word, a small favor for me.
Thank you all.
Warm Regards,
Rupa

I am would like to enter my altered tin in the following challenges....
The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Something new ( have used new supplies and tried the new coffee dyed papers technique)
Our Creative Corner - Christmas leftovers( the tin has xmas cookies that my bro got from London...emptied the tin before finishing the cookies, Lol!)
Loves Rubber Stamps -Something old and something New -( new supplies, new technique, papers from my stash)
A Vintage Journey - Ring out the old, Ring in the new -(old tin, old papers from the stash, new supplies and new technique...coffee stained papers for the junk journal)
The Artistic Stamper Creative Blog - New Beginnings
Country View Challenges- Use something New To you ( have used new craft supplies and a coffee dyed papers,new technique)
Imagination Crafts Challenge- Anything Goes

The Mobile Nest...

Hello Crafters,

A warm welcome to all of you. Today I have something bright and vintage with a twist! Does it make sense…it will soon!

 My experiments with “Trash” continues and looks like “re cycling” bug will NOT leave me! Every time I hear that word in any challenge, heart sings and my fingers dance!

So this is want went under the scanner this time…an empty room freshener refill carton and a liquor carton!

And when they got together, this is what happened…

The restless souls will have to wait till the end to see the “twist”.

I went about sticking the refill carton to the flattened out liquor carton and gave a generous coating of gesso. I am re discovering my love for acrylics and always looking out to try new techniques.

My love for nature naturally favored the greens, yellows and browns and using these paints, I created a blended background. I also edged the ends with Distress inks peeled paint and walnut stain. I love to bring about that vintage feel to any project, maybe it’s my age..LOL!!!

Stamping on tissue is a new chapter for me and sounded interesting. I decided to go for it and stamped some birds, nest and music  notes using Prima stamps, “Nature walk” on tissue. I used archival inks in green and brown and tore them to be adhered on to the colored bg.

I used matt gel medium and just loved the way the tissue held on to the bg colors leaving an impression of bold stamping! I felt accomplished having tried something new, though on a small scale…still needs improvement.

I took the tissue stamping all around on the sides too.

For the main panel, I did dry embossing on brown card stock using the wood grain embossing folder and inked it with vintage photo and walnut stain.

The sentiment is from the net and I hand wrote it. It give s such a warm feeling to the project and once you see the twist in the end, you will understand that makes a lot of sense “literally” too!

A prima bulb junkyard finding adds more warmth on the main panel.

A single flower using TH tattered florals…totally vintage with script stamping, jute center and natural twine bow! Love it..

To the base, I adhered coconut coir to give the feel of a 3D nest and added some “pearly” eggs! Beneath the nest there is some green foliage too.

To the back of the panel, I have attached a piece of burlap( torn and treated from a old gunny sack)! Yes, you heard me right, gunny sack…

Two eyelets on the top and paper rope stained with mustard seed and scattered straw ensures that nest can be hung from anywhere!

So, finally what do you think this will house??? Are you ready for the twist…here it is…

Now, read the sentiment once more..isn't it just apt??? LOL…

Thank you people for stopping by and do let me know what you think.

Happy to have salvaged quite a lot of ‘trash” here, my soul is happy with this song and dance!

I would like to link this nest to..

Try it on Tuesday _ Re Cycling

Craft Stamper Magazine – Stamping on tissue

Sugar Creek Hollow – Word play

That Craft Place Challenge – Sentiment

Crafts 4 Eternity _ Favorite color combo

Creatalicious Challenge – Flower Power
Crafting For All seasons _ Colors of Autumn

Until then,

Happy Crafting and Re cycling.

Hugs.

I